Taking Back Beautiful (4 page)

Like I said, heaven is a great place.

There is no other rational explanation for the amazing time I’m having with Apollo. I mean, he is the god of the sun, so it’s only fitting that this is heaven.

Or Mount Olympus at the very least.

Chapter 5

DAPHNE

“Your seven o’clock is here,” Fashion Forty Fiona says after walking up to where Apollo is watching me use one of the lat pull-down machines. I swear, he had me use it just so he could stare at my boobs while my arms go up and down.

I let the bar go all the way up and release it. The weights clank onto the stack. I fold my arms across my chest because I don’t like the way Fashion Forty’s eyes sweep over my body like she’s judging me.

“Is it seven already?” Apollo asks, surprised.

“Yes,” she says. “She’s waiting downstairs.”

“Oh, okay. Can you tell her I’ll be right down?”

“Sure.” She smiles at him coquettishly, “Maybe when you finish up later you can give me a personal training session too.” She’s flirting. It’s obvious.

Despite all the scandalous squatting Apollo and I did together, I can’t deny Fashion Forty’s beauty. I expect Apollo to suddenly say,
Sure. I’ll give you a personal training session, Fiona. It’ll be better than the one I just gave this cow.

He scratches the back of his head. “I think I’ve got appointments until late. I won’t have time. Maybe next week? No, wait. Next week I’m booked solid. Yeah, I really don’t think I’ll have time for anything. Maybe you can get one of the other trainers to help you out?” He winks at me so that Fiona can’t see it.

Fiona’s eyes narrow. “I’ll do that,” she grumbles before walking away.

When she’s gone, Apollo says, “Sorry about that.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay.”

“I didn’t mean her. I meant, sorry for losing track of time. I really should’ve paid closer attention to the clock.”

“Oh, right.” Why do I feel disappointed again?

“Next time, I’ll make sure I do.”

“Next time?”

He smiles sunshine, “Yeah. Next session. You get ten free training sessions. I mean, that is, if you want me as your trainer again?” He looks… bashful and uncertain of himself.

How in the world could he possibly think I would not want to do that again? I will go to the gym every day until forever if he’s my spot-squatting trainer. “Of course! I mean, yes. That would be great. How do I make sure I’m on the schedule for next time? I mean, in case I miss the confirmation email?”

He smirks, “I’ll remember.”

“Great. Um, what day should we meet up?”

His eyes circle thoughtfully, “How about…”

I want to say,
How about tomorrow! How about in an hour when you finish with your next client? How about you forget your next client and we go back and do more squats?

He pins me with his eyes. “I’m thinking you probably need a recovery day. We went at it pretty hard today.”

I can go hard at it right now if you can.
“Um, okay. So, Friday?”

“Let me check my schedule.” He pulls his smart phone out of his pocket and thumbs the screen.

I notice the sun has gone down. The wall of windows in the gym is now a dark mirror reflecting the people on the machines inside. Despite the fact that I need to get home and eat and shower and get ready for bed before work tomorrow, I feel energized. Like I could do spot-squats all night long.
Allllll
night.

“Let’s see… I’m booked from four until eight.” He looks disappointed. “That’s pretty late. I’m sure by eight you’ll be out on a date with someone.”

Okay, that’s ridiculous because:

a) I’ve never been on a date, and

b) Is he serious?

After the squat fucking he gave me, how can he possibly think I would go out on a date with anyone other than him?

“Actually,” I chuckle, “it just so happens I don’t have any plans Friday night.”

“Really,” he says thoughtfully. His face lights up with his sunshine smile and it brightens the entire gym like the sun is still up.

Something about that smile sets me at ease. It’s… comforting. I love that feeling. For once, I’m relaxed around a man I’m desperately attracted to. It makes me feel like…myself. Like I don’t have to second guess everything I’m saying. It’s wonderful. “Yeah,” I laugh, “every other day
except
Friday I’m out on dates with tons of different guys. Friday is my rest day.”

He frowns, looking confused. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“I’m kidding.” I touch his wrist briefly.

Wow. I’m flirting. I can’t believe I’m
actually
flirting. I don’t think I’ve ever flirted before. Well, I flirt with the male patients at work all the time, but only the ones over sixty. And that’s just friendly flirting. This is sexy flirting and it’s the real thing.

“Good,” he says.

“Good what?”

“Good that you were kidding.”

“About what?”

“All those dates.” His eyes are suddenly dark. “With other dudes.” He sounds almost… angry.

A thrill sweeps through me. What is happening? Is he going caveman on me? I’m going to faint again. “Actually, I don’t really date much. I mean, hardly at all.” In other words, never.

His sunshine returns like a summer morning. “Then I’ll see you Friday at eight.”

“At eight.” I giggle.

“It’s a date.”

Chapter 6

APOLLO

After I finish with my last client that night, I head to the locker room to grab my gym bag.

Fiona passes me on the way. “Hey, Apollo! You done for the night?”

“Yeah. Gonna head home. It’s been a long day.”

She rolls her eyes. “I bet.”

What’s that supposed to mean? She doesn’t know I was at the cemetery. She didn’t mean Daphne, did she? I don’t want to know.

She smiles, “I’m going out with some girlfriends later to get drinks and listen to music at Piano Bar. Do you want to meet us there?” She curls her lush lips and lowers her eyelids seductively.

There’s no doubt that Fiona is gorgeous. She’s my usual type: total knockout. We’ve had this flirtation thing going since the day I started working here a few months ago. I would’ve asked her out already, but then my dad died.

Tony, the manager, walks up right then. “Hey, Apollo. Fiona, can I talk to you in my office for a second?”

She smiles at him, “Sure.” Then turns to me, “We’ll be at Piano Bar. Come join us!”

I can’t help but stare at her ass as she walks away. It’s perfect and she knows it. You can tell from the way she bounces it on purpose.

I could go to Piano Bar and drink there instead of go home and drink by myself. That doesn’t sound like fun. Maybe I’ll head over to the bar. It’s only a few blocks from here. And you never know who you’re gonna see play at Piano Bar. I heard Katy Perry got started there.

When I walk into the locker room, I pull my gym bag out of my locker and the SMIRNOFF bottle clunks against the metal doorframe. I unzip the bag and pull it out.

I toss it in my hand and watch the vodka slosh around inside.

I smile to myself and shake my head.

Some old guy in a white gym towel walks by. “You put that in all the sports drinks you sell out front and you’ll sell a lot more sports drinks.” He grins.

“True that,” I chuckle.

I walk into one of the bathroom stalls and pour the booze down the toilet. Flush.

After I walk out of the gym and take the stairs up to the roof of the parking garage, I stop and stare at the moon glowing overhead. I think about what that kid Owen said at the cemetery today.

I tip my head up to the stars and say, “You were listening to me bitch and moan at the cemetery today, weren’t you? Did you send her?”

No answer.

I whisper, “Thanks, Dad.”

#b#b#b#

DAPHNE

The next day.

“That is scandalous, Daphne!” my work friend Lynn gasps.

“I know, right?” I laugh.

“I’m sure he’s not allowed to do that to the clients.”

“That’s what I said!”

We both laugh and nibble on our sandwiches.

We’re having lunch in the courtyard outside the building where we both work in the Valley. Lynn is the receptionist slash administrative assistant for the chiropractor across the hall from the dentist’s office where I work. We eat out here together every day it isn’t raining, which in LA is nearly year round.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten fired with behavior like that,” Lynn says.

“I certainly won’t turn him in,” I blush.

“You dirty girl! Do you think he does that with all the women?”

“I hope not!”

We both laugh like high school.

After we catch our breath, Lynn sighs, “Ooooh, Daphne, I wish I had your life. That is the steamiest story I think I’ve ever heard.”

“Are you telling me Matt has never done anything that hot?”

Lynn levels a look at me and smirks. “Please. We’ve been married ten years. Matt has
never
squat fucked me. Not that I can remember.”

“I think you’d remember.” I giggle again. “Maybe you can convince him to try it sometime.”

“With Dylan and Nicholas yammering away in the apartment? Uh-uh. Not gonna happen. There’s no place for Matt and I to do it.”

“Maybe you should join a gym and get your own hunky personal trainer,” I say coyly.

She smirks, “Can I have yours?”

“No! No sharing!” I laugh. “Join another gym.”

“I’m kidding. I don’t think Matt would like the idea of me spending so much time up close and personal with a certified hunk.” She swoons, “Oh, to be single again. Sometimes I miss all that wild and crazy fun. When do you see your hunk next?”

“Friday. I think we have a date.”

Her eyes explode. “What?! Are you serious?”

“I think so.”

“I guess he wasn’t done squat fucking you!” She guffaws.

“Lynn! Shush!” I start to blush and glance around to make sure no one is close enough in the courtyard to listen in. Nope, the few people outside are busy chatting or reading.

Lynn wipes her fingers with a paper napkin. “Do you want to walk over to Starbucks? They have a new chocolate chip cookie dough cake pop I’ve been dying to try.”

“Hmmm. I don’t think so.”

“Did your hunky personal trainer put you on a diet?”

“No, I did,” I smile.

“Good for you, girl!” she cheers. “In that case, let’s both go on a diet. I could stand to lose a few pounds myself. Ever since Nicholas started the first grade, I haven’t had anyone to chase around.”

“Maybe you and Matt need a date night. Send the boys off to their grandmother’s so the two of you can take up sex squatting,” I mutter.

“You have the dirtiest mind I’ve ever heard, girl!!” She howls with laughter. “But I like your style. So, what are you and Mr. Hunk going to do for your date?”

“I’m not entirely sure. He didn’t say.”

She narrows her eyes. “But he told you he wanted to take you out after your training session, right?”

“Ummm, sort of?”

“What
did
he say?” Now Lynn sounds concerned.

“He said, ‘It’s a date’.”

“That’s it? Just, ‘it’s a date’?”

I nod.

“Maybe he meant your training session.”

“I don’t know…” Now I’m getting worried.

“Did he mention anything about
after
your session?”

I close the lid on my Tupperware sandwich keeper with a pop and stare at it. “No.”

“Be careful, Daphne.” Her voice is full of compassion.

“I know,” I sigh. “But we did the squat sex thing. Doesn’t that mean he’s interested?”

Lynn places a comforting hand on my knee. “I have no doubt the man is interested in sex with you. Any man would be. But that doesn’t mean your gym hunk is interested in anything more.”

“But he was so polite and we had so much fun talking and I thought…” I groan. “I don’t know what I thought.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Daphne. Some guys are very forward like that. And maybe he does like you like that. I don’t know. I
hope
he likes you like that. I really do. I just… I don’t want you getting hurt. You’re my tender little flower,” she grins.

I smile. She’s been calling me that ever since I told her I was still a virgin. I smirk, “One of these days, I’d like to get rid of my tender little flower.”

“Oh, Daphne, I’m sure you will. Whether it’s Mr. Hunk at the gym or another man, you will. I promise.”

“So, should I bring a change of clothes tomorrow when I go back to the gym? Just in case he really did mean a
date
date?”

Her eyes drift in thought and her brows knit. Then they relax into a smile. “Why not? What have you got to lose? The worst thing that can happen is that he squat fucks you and sends you home a wet and happy camper!”

We both burst into lurid laughter once again.

Chapter 7

DAPHNE

“There she is,” Apollo grins on Friday evening when I walk through the front doors of Body Fitness. Since it’s nearly eight, the place is much quieter than last time. He leans against the reception desk. Fashion Forty Fiona is standing behind it. Were they just talking?

I don’t care. Apollo is waiting for me, not her.

When I see his sunshine smile, I feel myself glow. I can’t get over how much better I feel about myself when I’m around him. “Hey, Apollo.”

He turns to Fiona and says, “We’ll talk later. When I get off.”

Fiona glances at me then says to him, “If you need any help
getting off
, let me know.”

She did not just say that!

“Yeah.” He grins his rugged grin. “Catch you later.”

She purrs, “Have fun with…” Her eyes sweep over me in that judgmental way she has. “…
her
.” Then she tips up her nose without actually acknowledging me and walks into HOG’s office, which is empty.

Again? What is with her? And more importantly, why are she and Apollo talking about getting off together after my training session ends? What happened to our date?

I am such an idiot.

Lynn was right. When Apollo said “It’s a date,” it was just an expression. He obviously meant we had an appointment. I should’ve known better. I am so desperate it’s shameful. I held onto hope when I should’ve let go.